It’s difficult to avoid wearing a heavy winter coat by the time December and January approach. Especially if you’re heading to a yoga class in the early morning or late evening, you’re going to want a few extra layers of insulation to protect yourself from the chillier weather.

Putting on the proper outerwear is an important means of taking care of your body during the winter. It can help keep you more comfortable, but it also prevents you from falling ill nearly as often during these colder months. Just because it’s better for your health doesn’t mean that you relish the idea of donning a winter coat though.

Fortunately, your winter coat can be both fashionable and practical to wear with a great pair of yoga leggings. There’s an option available for every personal style and taste, so each yogi can be happy and comfortable this winter.

Bomber Jacket

A bomber jacket is a great option for yogis who tend to favor styles that look like they came straight from the streets. With a hip graphic t-shirt clearly visible from the front of an unbuttoned bomber jacket, you’ll be able to make a clear statement with your style. Search the shops for an option with silk or satin sleeves to allow you to play with some extra texture.

Unfortunately, a bomber jacket isn’t likely to be the warmest option you can pair with yoga leggings. You can use this style tip if you live in a milder part of the world or as winter begins to fade into spring.

Long Parka

Add a little fun fur into your winter wardrobe with a long parka that features a furry hood. Faux fur is relatively inexpensive and comes in a wide array of beautiful colors. You may want to consider looking for shades that will be very popular during the winter, like a deep burgundy or navy blue. Alternatively, you could purchase a natural shade of fur for a more traditional look.

The coat itself is usually brown or khaki, depending on your preferences. The basic nature of a long parka allows you to continue wearing brightly-colored or patterned yoga leggings well into the winter months.

Wool Duster Coat

Don’t underestimate the classic silhouette of a long-length wool duster coat. The length will hit just slightly past the backs of the knees, draping your body in luxuriously warm wool all over. This is an especially amazing option for yogis who live in the most frigid parts of the country. It protects both your top half and most of your exposed yoga leggings as well.

Consider looking for duster coats with deep pockets to store your cellphone or hat and gloves. You may also want a version that ties around the waist to give you a more flattering shape with your yoga leggings.

No matter how cold the winter air gets, you can stay warm and fashionable in your yoga leggings with one of these choices for the best coats this winter.

A new trend is sweeping the yoga communities of the West: socks and gloves meant for use during practice. The practicality of these accessories isn’t necessarily obvious – why would one need extra padding on the hands and feet when the mat already provides grip?

These socks and gloves aren’t cheap. Yogis rightfully may wonder whether such accessories are any more than a marketing scheme. However, it turns out that there are some valid benefits to yoga socks and gloves. Here’s what you need to know:

The Good

The first thing to recognize is that whether or not these accessories hold up to the hype really depends on the individual yogi and their specific practice.

The main reason people enjoy these socks and gloves is for the added grip they provide. While many practitioners feel that their grip needs are taken care of by the mat, those who sweat more in general or partake in hot yoga may benefit from a little extra something. Tiny grip bumps on the bottom of the socks and gloves provide this extra security.

There are other draws for having a bit more protection on your feet and hands. Yogis with circulation issues may appreciate the extra warmth provided by these accessories. Those with injuries or skin sensitivity may find this extra layer beneficial as well.

The Bad

While socks and gloves make sense for some, for others, they may not offer much more than style. It’s important to recognize which brands offer real benefits and which might be trying to sell people something they don’t need.

For instance, some brands advertise that with yoga socks and gloves, there’s no need for a mat. They claim that these accessories can effectively replace the mat, offering a more portable option for carrying.
Support and padding are so important for our joints and muscles when we practice. True, socks and gloves can provide this for our hands and feet, but what about those poses which require knees, thighs, elbows, and stomachs to touch the ground? Camel pose, locust pose, and child’s pose are just a few examples of instances where our bodies need more support. It is extremely hard for our bodies to do most poses without adequate padding, and practicing with only hand and foot padding is downright dangerous.

Other complaints include: these accessories fit too tight and cut off circulation, and might cause you to slip around once you build up some sweat. Both of these are potentially dangerous as well – as any true yogi knows, a slip-up or a fall in yoga can do serious damage.

Ultimately, there are a variety of reasons why some yogis may enjoy and appreciate yoga gloves and socks. However, they should never be used in place of a mat. Yogis would do well to consider the unique needs of their bodies before investing in these accessories.

Vitamins are organic compounds needed in trace amounts by the body, but are still extremely essential for the normal functioning of an organism. So how are these essential elements related to the health of our hair? It has been shown that vitamins play an important role in maintaining our skin, nails and hair.

It is said that the health of skin and hair is the mirror to the health of the inner body. Healthy hair and glowing skin indicate a healthy internal system which is getting everything that’s important for good functioning and countering diseases. Similarly, dry, fatigued skin or falling, brittle hair indicates that something within the body is not right.

The role of nutrition in the preservation of healthy hair cannot be over emphasized. Hair itself is dead tissue, but it sprouts from the scalp. Hence, the health of the scalp is equal to the health of the hair itself. The health of hair is not only adversely effected by deficiencies but also by medical conditions, smoking and trauma among others. Therefore, consuming a diet that aids in supplementing hair growth and sustenance of healthy hair is vital.

There are many vitamins which are essential for healthy hair. Most importantly, these include vitamin D, Biotin, Vitamin b12, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Iron and Niacin. A deficiency of these vitamins has been directly shown to cause hair to get brittle, leading to it falling out.

Some hair care products now include vitamins like Biotin to promote healthier hair. One can use these to provide nourishment to their hair by massaging or applying them as directed. However, it remains imperative to consume these as part of the diet. Some of the best sources of vitamins that are important for hair are fresh leafy green vegetables, and several fruits such as oranges, strawberries, and pineapples.

Therefore, the role of vitamins to maintain a healthy lifestyle which in turn leads to a number of health benefits, including healthy, glossy hair which is not easily prone to falling, should not be overlooked. One must include foods such as fruits and vegetables in their diet in order to achieve health goals that lead to healthy skin, hair, nails and the body as a whole.

Check out this popular video by Sarah Nagel who gives tips on healthy hair.